Seeking Simplicity

[Photo credit: Michelle Laine]

I read somewhere, can't remember where, that you can't organize clutter. You can move it around from place to place, but truly, it just has to go.

In our 2-bedroom home decluttering is essential to our sanity and is sometimes the topic of debates as to what exactly constitutes clutter. To my husband, it would be my lovingly curated vases. To me, it would his large, empty sea salt buckets - we have a aquarium. As you may imagine, these things aren't going anywhere soon. So in the meantime, we will turn our focus towards greener pastures.

Right now these items are on our out-box list:

• outgrown clothing and toys
• ill-fitting outfits
• small household items

To jump start the process, I contacted a local charity to schedule a pick-up this weekend. Do I have my bags full and ready to go? No. But I did commit to two bags of items. So now, it puts the onus on me to do just that.

If like me you sometimes feel stuck, a home-organization site like FlyLady is an invaluable guide for steering you through the clutter. With her system, it all starts with keeping your kitchen sink clean and slowly expands from there. She also has great tip sheets like How To Declutter, here.

In any event, creating a organized and serene home won't happen overnight. And in fact, I think it is an ongoing process. But I know that when those two bags leave my home tomorrow I'll be one happy woman.

Have a wonderful Memorial weekend!

Celia